RBS - Direct Line Conveyancing Panel Information

You might expect RBS - Direct Line via their Part 2 obligations to address this but the Handbook makes no mention on time frames. Do look at the Terms of RBS - Direct Line’s Conveyancing Panel Appointment that you entered into. For a number of banks these Terms include a clause such as: ‘To keep us informed of the reasons for any delay in your being able to send the title deeds and documents we require to us within 3 months of completion or evidence of proof of registration within that period. (We will send reminders if the deeds have not been received but will not acknowledge receipt of deeds’ It is imperative to keep RBS - Direct Line updated. Law firms can often compound their problems by not communicating with the lender when there is a delay or problem.

In the same way that there is a unique RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel most building societies, operate a conveyancing panel for solicitors and other conveyancers that the lender will instruct. Terms and Conditions and criteria for inclusion on a building society conveyancing panel vary from lender-to-lender. Having CQS accreditation may be a requirement. Institutional lenders, such as a building society, is a client and is entitled to instruct the solicitor or conveyancer of its choosing (who, in turn, is free to accept or refuse instructions). Therefore, if lender and borrower cannot agree which solicitor or conveyancer should represent them jointly, they would usually proceed on a separate representation basis. The BSA have not published the equivalent of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Part 3s.

When a solicitor is acting for both RBS - Direct Line and borrower there is potential for conflicts to arise. You owe duties to both clients. All information received by you from your client is confidential and cannot be disclosed without the client’s consent. In the situation you find yourself in if the purchaser will not consent to the information being passed on to the lender the solicitor must cease to act for the RBS - Direct Line and it may well be prudent you to cease to act for the purchaser as well. You can not tell the RBS - Direct Line the reason for termination of the retainer over and above the fact that a conflict has arisen. The fact that you can no longer act should alert even the most somnambulistic of lenders that something is wrong with the borrower and/or purchase. The fact that you have disinstructed yourself should not affect your RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel status.

13 borrowers search for a conveyancing practitioner on the RBS - Direct Line panel each month in Hendon. Feel free to contact the Lexsure team who will tell how your firm can be listed by those searching for conveyancing in Hendon.

In the circumstances please explain on the form what action you have taken to discover the reasons behind cancellation of your RBS - Direct Line panel membership. In particular please provide details if you have received communications from the lender. E.G. before revocation of your panel membership did you receive any letters or calls from the lender informing you as to why they reached this decision?

You should get in touch with RBS - Direct Line to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook has an explicit question for banks to establish who to contact to obtain standard documents. RBS - Direct Line in their Part 2’s state: It is likely that you will need to disclose the firm’s RBS - Direct Line solicitors panel number.